Fluorescent gun sight



33 241. 0F? 3.098.303 SR July 23, 1963 1.. N. PLISK 3,098,303

FLUORESCENT GUN SIGHT Filed Dec. 11, 1961 ZVZ/ FIG. 2

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INVENTOR. 3 24 LEONARD N. PLISK F IG. 3

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,098,303 FLUORESCENT GUN SIGHT Leonard N. Plisk, Hilton, N.Y., assignor to Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 158,350 2 Claims. (Cl. 33-52) This invention relates to a sighting device for guns and more particularly it relates to improvements in sights of the self-luminous type.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel gun sight of the self-luminous type which is simple and sturdy and enhances the visibility of the critical aiming elements of the sight, especially during times of low light level.

Further objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, reference being had to the specification herebelow taken in connection with the accompaying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gun sight embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of a gun having my novel gun sight mounted thereon; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Gun sights of the kind herebelow described are used as a substitute for the so-called iron sights and said sights comprise an elongated integrally molded body having 9. preferably round cylindrical portion 11 as shown in FIG. 1. Means for attaching the body 10 to the gun comprise a pair of longitudinal flanges 12 and 13 formed integrally with and along opposite sides of the cylindrical portion 11 of the body, said flanges having a flat surface 14 on which the body rests. On the upper sides of the flanges, steeply inclined surfaces 15 and 16 are formed whereon suitable clamping jaws 17 and 18 engage which are clamped thereon by any preferred means such as a bolt 19 and nut 20, as described hereinafter.

For the purpose of holding the gun sight body 11 on a gun barrel B, a mounting member 21 is provided having a transverse opening 21' through which said bolt 19 extends. Suitable anchor screws 22 and 23 are extended through free fitting openings 24 in the mounting member 21 and are threaded into the gun barrel B to retain the member on the barrel. It is contemplated that the mounting 21 may alternatively be constructed according to any of the laterally or vertically adjustable types of sight mountings.

Alignment of the sight body 11 on the mounting 21 is secured by forming a longitudinal slot 25 in the bottom surface 14 of the body and forming a flat key 26 on the mounting member 21 so as to fit snugly in the slot.

According to this invention, the body 11 is preferably formed together with the flanges 12 and 13 entirely by molding of a substantially clear plastic acrylic resin or similar material in one piece for simplicity and ruggedness of structure. A sighting element 27 formed of substantially clear fluorescent material having a diameter of about 2 to 3 mm. is inserted into an accommodating open- Patented July 23, 1963 ing 27' and secured therein coincident with a line of sight through the body 11 longitudinally whereby the target is sighted as shown in FIG. 2. It is preferred that the walls of the sight opening27' have a high light diflusing characteristic so that the fluorescent sighting element 27 is used to an optimum degree in forming a visible spot or line of fluorescent radiation.

In operation, light striking the sighting element 27 after traversing the body 11 or after entering the ends of the element 27 will cause said fluorescent material to glow and provide in elfect a mildly irridescent dot through which the target is seen. Because of the transparent quality of said plastic material in the body 11, the areas around the target may also be seen enough to be helpful in locating the target. Whenever the sighting element 27 is inclined to the line of sight or not aimed at the target, said irridescent dot appears as if elongated into a line and the apparent length of the sighting element or rod 27 is an indication of the amount of error in aiming. Because of this fact, the length L of the fluorescent sighting element 27 should preferably be greater than about ten times its diamenter D.

Although only a single embodiment of this invention is shown and described in detail, other embodiments are possible and changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the details thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims herebelow appended.

What is claimed is:

l. A gun sight having in combination an elongated plastic block,

a pair of substantially flat optical surfaces formed on two opposite ends of said block,

said block being formed of transparent material,

a cylindrical wall formed in said block so as to define an opening connecting said optical surfaces,

a cylindrical light diffusing and transparent element formed of fluorescent material, said element being coextensive with and fitted to said wall so as to provide a luminescent directional sighting means extending between said optical surfaces,

a pair of substantially flat optical surfaces formed on the terminal ends of said element substantially coplanar with the first pair of optical surfaces, and

means for mounting said block so that said element is aligned with the barrel of a gun on which it is mounted.

2. A gun sight as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said element being a solid rod-like sighting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7,837,290 Redfield Dec. 22, 1931 2,526,126 Gaghier Oct. 17, 1950 2,615,252 Wing Oct. 28, 1952 2,706,335 Munsey Apr. 19, 1955 2,911,724 Conant Nov. 10, 1959 

1. A GUN SIGHT HAVING IN COMBINATION AN ELOGATED PLASTIC BLOCK, A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT OPTICAL SURFACES FORMED ON TWO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BLOCK, SAID BLOCK BEING FORMED IN SAID BLOCK SO AS TO DEFINE A CYLINDRICAL LIGHT DIFFUSING AND TRANSPARENT ELEMENT AN OPENING CONNECTING SAID OPTICAL SURFACES, A CYLINDRICAL LIGHT DIFFUSING AND TRNSPARENT ELEMENT FORMED OF FIUORESCENT MATERIAL, SAID ELEMENT BEING COEXTENSIVE WITH AND FITTED TO SAID WALL SO AS TO PROVIDE A LUMINESCENT DIRECTIONAL SIGHTING MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID OPTICAL SURFACES, A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT OPTICAL SURFACES FORMED ON THE TERMINAL ENDS OF SAID ELEMENT SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR WITH THE FIRST PAIR OF OPTICAL SURFACES, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID BLOCK SO THAT SAID ELEMENT IS ALIGNED WITH THE BARREL OF A GUN ON WHICH IT IS MOUNTED. 